Recent reviews by Science Bird

The best kind of brain hurt. The puzzles are interesting, very satisfying to solve, and most importantly, you can brute force it when you truly give up. It really does a great job encouraging you to build efficiently (With leaderboards and such), while not actually forcing you to. The story is also interesting to follow, and overall it's just really well polished. If this is your kind of game it might be one of the best you've played, but even if it isn't there's still a lot of fun (And mental anguish) to be had if all you have is a passing interest in the genre.

One of those rare games with a simple but brilliantly executed premise. I remember being uncertain about it before I played, because I simply didn't know what exactly it would be like, but it really is as simple as being stuck in a time loop and exploring the solar system. I can see how that kind of thing isn't for everyone, but there's a really great system in-game for exploring different leads, so you never really feel that lost. There's always another thread to pull on, and it all eventually leads to a climax which manages to strike some emotions. Overall I just can't overstate how well executed it is, in writing, world building, and moment to moment gameplay. It's a one-of-a-kind game that once you start, it's hard to put down.

This really stunned me to the point where I almost consider it better than the entire base game (Although in large part because it was built on its shoulders). It's got some brutal puzzles, a story which shows off some really great characters, and a really cool world. The difficulty does begin to stretch the limits of its mechanics a bit, to the point where it was often easier to think of a janky unintended solution than to find whatever they wanted you to do, but it really felt like a breath of fresh air to me after replaying the base game.

Though what really kept me in was the story, it's not too often you see one centered around online forum threads, but I am all for it. It felt like it filled in the distinct lack of characterization there was before (Aside from QR codes on the wall). I could nitpick about the ending, or the plot stretching to fit all possible dialogue choices, but that wouldn't change the fact that every time I solved a puzzle I was eagerly awaiting the next development.

Quite a unique game that pulls you in with some solid puzzle design, and keeps you there with some really exceptional world building. It gives you plenty to think about, and has some surprisingly charming writing to it. To fully enjoy the game as much as I did you'd probably have to like doing the puzzles (Which considering there isn't exactly anything special about the mechanics, might not be that common), though it still has a lot more to offer than that.

Slowly unravelling the mystery as the world opens up, arguing semantics with a sassy AI, seeing the thoughts and conversations of others along the way, and all of it presented with a nice level of polish. If you've got the puzzle tolerance, it's a uniquely captivating experience.

Into the Breach excels at providing thoughtful gameplay, and enough variety to keep you interested for quite a while. In particular I adore how it approaches its turn-based combat (Coming from somebody who hasn't played any game like this before). You almost always feel in control, you can undo moves, and even restart your turn once per battle. In addition, everything is predictable and telegraphed, so each turn becomes its own positional puzzle to solve.

Since the core of the game is protecting stationary targets (And not yourself), this lends to an unending depth of strategy. What randomness there is (Grid resistance) actually works in your favour, so when things go bad, you can usually blame the poor choices you made rather than anything the game did. It was tough for me to learn at first, but before long I was thinking about raising the difficulty, it genuinely feels airtight in its balance. Even if your unfamiliar with the genre, I'd recommend giving it a try, it's really a standout game.

Hard to say what hasn't already been said (Even that phrase has probably been used 1000s of times already), it's a rare blend of wonderfully comedic and touching writing, a stellar soundtrack, and a unique battle system providing very stimulating gameplay. It's one of those games where with every character you can feel this palpable charm and style that the dialogue has, and despite not taking itself very seriously for most of its runtime, it still manages to pack some emotional weight.

I will say that the idea of locking endings behind moral choice can be a tad detrimental, as often players may get the neutral ending and not realize they're missing a significant part of the game. In its defence it obviously has a reason for doing so, and the fact that I'm complaining that the game doesn't give you enough of its content is just a show of how great it is. At this point most people who would play it have done so, but here's another drop in the bucket restating its exceptional quality.

This is one of only a few games that hold a very special place in my heart. It offers an experience seen seldom elsewhere, and something that I've had a craving for as long as I can remember. It's a true community experience, tying together minigames, condo decoration, events, and all kinds of fun stuff in a big connected world (Think Club Penguin for the modern era). Of course it struggles the way many early access games do (Performance, polish, bugs, lacking some features, etc.), but it's a constantly improving game that is still endlessly fun.

I've been following it since it was a Garry's Mod server, and although it can be hard to find time for it (As once I start playing, I fear I will never stop), it never leaves my mind as something I'm anxiously waiting to hop back into. I also really appreciate the great community, which was one of very few that I was an active part of for a while, as well as the devs for listening to feedback.

One of the largest (And oldest) successes in the small genre of story-based RPG-maker titles. It's got one hell of a hook, paces itself very well (Even integrating what gameplay it has quite well with the plot), and is just an all around great story with a very unique charm to its writing (Not to mention its phenomenal one-of-a-kind soundtrack). If you think there's even a chance you could get into a game like this for its story alone, I would highly recommend it (Also prepare for some gut punches).

An underrated gem of an indie game. One of my favourite soundtracks, a genuinely emotional story that gets me every time, and even some interesting level design and platforming puzzles. Although it's a bit of an odd duck, the fact that such a simple game stands out so much is a testament to the enormous quality it has.

Throughout many years, it has never failed to be a fun game to return to. A huge variety of weapons, enemies, bosses, events, and I usually end up with a laundry list of things to do. Though despite all this I have only completed the game once (Never mind on expert mode), as it does require a lot of commitment (Especially so in multiplayer), but that doesn't change the fact that each and every time I come back to it, it's absolutely wonderful.